Photo contest: Enter for a chance to win $5,000

What does the word connect mean to you?

Share your vision with us through our photo contest: Enter for your chance to win a grand prize of $5,000!

The handheld 35 millimeter camera was an indispensable photographic tool through most of the 20th century — mobile devices with cameras and camera/smart technology hybrids have similarly ushered in a new era of photography for the 21st century. Most of us now carry a camera of some kind with us at all times, and through photo-sharing apps and online social networks we are are able to share our images with larger audiences than ever before. How does this changing, more mobile landscape of photography affect how we connect with one another?

Comments

Anyways, look not too far, DP allows discriminatory rules within its challenges, allowing hosts to fence out participants and so only winners in previous DP challenges are allow to participate. Discrimination is the result of a philosophy of thinking.

I believe DP follows the laws of the country where it operates, in this case USA, which indeed its laws on contest excludes Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Burma, the Province of Quebec in Canada, and some States of the United States (for some of these States have their own laws regarding gaming). So check it out before you enter. Even the so mighty and so 'international' National Geographic applies this law for its Photography Contest. Photography is international, not so much humans or countries for that matter.

uploading a picture is unfortunately impossible:"please wait, submitting"followed all your rules (size, acceptance of terms of trade etc.) - but the beachball keeps on spinning.... any advice? i don't seem to be the only one around here having probs with your upload-form. I use a MacBook with the most current OS, Flash updated.

this may come as some help for Mac-users: what I depicted above was when using Safari - Safari just didn't work. I switched to the Camino-browser (open source and free) and was able to upload the picture within 10 seconds. Whatever the reason, Apple or dpreview might look into this issue. Hope to have been of some help at least to the Mac-community.

i can write again - i was using three difrent computers, with win7 Vista and XP and on each one two browsers IE and Chrome and two files with the same results SO PROBLEM IS NOT ON THE USER SIDE (file,comp conf, browser).

there's no way to add picturesthis is example of valid jpg picture http://i47.tinypic.com/auw0es.jpgpls try to add it and inform me if you can/can'tI was trying several pictures from several computers and there's always only hang and in MSInternetExpl you have red information - The file you selected does not appear to be a valid JPEG image.In Chrome script only hang with Please wait submitting

Try something like Firefox. On the Mac you have similar problems with the mainstream browser (Safari). On Mac the Camino-browser works; since Firefox is quite similar (I'm not a programmer, thus take this with a grain of salt), check something Mozilla-like, that is Firefox.

Are DPReview users incapable of just enjoying this contest? DPReview needs permission to display the winning photo after the contest. They're not claiming ownership of any photo entered into the contest, nor are they going to steal your soul.

Hmm still deciding between 2 pictures. One is completely without humans, the other contains three of them, all three unknown to me... one person shows his back (no face) and the other two are reasonably motion-blurred. Of course it was not possible to receive written consent from them (as the contest rules stipulate). What would you propose as we are allowed only one entry?

The consent of the people in the shot is a serious handicap for all street shooters, especially for shots taken before the announcement of the contest. I understand that taking shots on the street is still allowed in most countries, and there are millions of such shots on the net and on DPR too, so unless this rule is modified, many, myself included, won't be able to participate. I think it also goes afgainst the logic of the theme of modern connectivity.

There seems to be one solution open to street photography. You might try to "anonymize" street-taken human subjects in a way as to make them completely unrecognizable. Add / remove moustaches, sideburns, sunglasses, clothing details... also streetsigns and other ambiental pinpointing elements... If you then keep the original image as a proof, nobody should have any problem with Model Release Forms etc.DPR, would that work?

Far out folks, it's a contest! It has been offered in good faith.....enter it in good faith :-) Everybody has a choice to enter it or not....there is way too much criticism in this world. DPreview you offer a great website, with very interesting and accurate facts about Photographic gear, and I cannot believe how unbiased you are when writing reviews, etc. I never write in these forums, but I just wanted to pay credit to you guys, I have been in the industry of selling cameras for 34 years and taking photos for 42 years....you are the one site I can trust to keep me informed about what is going on in the world of camera gear. How good is the stuff we are now getting to use to capture moments in time? JUST AWESOME!!!

Indeed, Québec has different laws regarding games, contests, etc. For these reasons, most contests held in the whole country or in the U.S. / Canada prefer to void the contest in Québec than to adapt it entirely to abide to the different laws, as it is much, much easier. Quite unfortunate for us, les Québécois. :(

I believe DP follows the laws of the country where it operates, in this case USA, which indeed its laws on contest excludes Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Burma, the Province of Quebec in Canada, and some States of the United States (for some of these States have their own laws regarding gaming). So check it out before you enter. Even the so mighty and so 'international' National Geographic applies this law for its Photography Contest. Photography is international, not so much humans or countries for that matter.

If DP would have been operating in another country, less say UK, this limiting laws wouldn't apply and the contest could have had more chances of been 'International'

Anyways, look not too far, DP allows discriminatory rules within its challenges, allowing hosts to fence out participants and so only winners in previous DP challenges are allow to participate. Discrimination is the result of a philosophy of thinking born from nations with oppressive and repressive regimes.

"By entering the Contest, entrants consent to our collection, use and disclosure of their personal information for these purposes and also to potentially contact entrants for MARKETING PURPOSES (caps are mine)."

Oh goody -- so the contest company can make money selling our info to other companies who will fill our email boxes with more junk.

And

"By submitting an Entry, each entrant grants to Sponsor a royalty- free, sublicenseable right to use, reproduce, transmit, modify (as to size, format and color correction, only), and display the Photo on Sponsor’s Web site(s) or Sponsor’s pages on social media web sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, for marketing and promotional purposes in connection with Sponsor and/or the Contest."

There are quite a few more items in the terms section that I find less tasty than okra. DPrev commission on this?

So it's up to you. Enter for the chance to win $5000 and agree that we can show the winning pictures on our website. If you want to win the $5000 but don't want us to be able to show people which picture won, then don't enter. There's nothing, literally zero, in these terms that suggests we can 'sell' (or give) your info to other companies, merely that we can show the pictures entered if we want. Complain as much as you want about anything we do, but please get your facts right.

To paraphrase Johnson, "He who is tired of contests is tired of life." Life's work consist of exchanging goods or services to earn one's keep. Millions spend scant pay to buy lottery tickets with poor odds. To exchange a photo for an outside chance to win $5,000 (and recognition). Most contests or sweepstakes exist for the sake of gathering names and address to support marketing. Contest objectives are far less cynical than the "job ads" one sees for plum opportunities that turn out to be non-existent, vastly over-subscribed, perhaps a way to get applicants to do free work as an "audition," or a front to build a database of potential clients.

there's no way to add picture from Poland.this is example of valid jpg picture http://i47.tinypic.com/auw0es.jpgpls try to add it and inform me if you can/can'tI was trying several pictures from several computers and there's always only hang and in MSInternetExpl you have red information - The file you selected does not appear to be a valid JPEG image. In Chrome script only hang with Please wait submitting

i was trying three pictures with the same results. so i made a sample and try it again (this linked picture) with the same problem. so you have sample i coudn't add - it should be helpful i think. waiting...

Sometimes when special characters are used in picture titling (common in Polish, Hungarian, Croatian and similar languages), some programs or browsers have problems with it. Usually these try to interpret spec chars by other code, which actually changes the title. Maybe it was the case here. If so, just rename image using US-EN characters.The problems with MS-IE and some other... just use FireFox. I've had zero problems with this browser.

I told a friend of mine from Iran about the restrictions on the contest for his country, and he said that if anyone there submitted a photo they could get into big trouble or arrested. So it's possibly not a restriction but a protection measure.

I believe DP follows the laws of the country where it operates, in this case USA, which indeed its laws on contest excludes Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Burma, the Province of Quebec in Canada, and some States of the United States (for some of these States have their own laws regarding gaming). So check it out before you enter. Even the so mighty and so 'international' National Geographic applies this law for its Photography Contest. Photography is international, not so much humans or countries for that matter.

Anyways, look not too far, DP allows discriminatory rules within its challenges, allowing hosts to fence out participants and so only winners in previous DP challenges are allow to participate. Discrimination is the result of a philosophy of thinking.

I think the contest is a great idea, and that "Rules" are reasonable except that the requirement for a release from any person in a submitted photo. Personally, and the lawyers would argue against my point, I can't see why a release is necessary since the end use is a public display or publication that seems not to be either trade of advertising use. The required release will certainly be a handicap to anyone working on the street as so many do. How many times can you stop to explain what and why you are shooting the subject without just getting frustrated and misdirected? I would hope, with little expectation of success, that the release Rule would be changed.

I find it hard to connect with images containing no people.As much as I'd like to connect with the universe, I can't claim to own pictures of the universe as they all belong to NASA.How can you get model releases from people in the street who are part of a larger happening?

A couple questions... the rules say images cannot previously have been shown through any "media channels." I'm guessing they mean newspapers, magazines, and major websites where the image is featured in some way, but they could mean just putting it on Flickr. Can you clarify?

Also, it looks like the image can be from any time, not just taken after the contest started. Is that true?

you will also find that there's nothing to suggest you give up your rights in the image. To be clear, you don't. You grant us the right to use it in connection with the contest and on dpreview (which covers us for displaying your image in association with the contest).

You ALWAYS retain the Authoring rights, even when you sell your image for all possible uses. Those rights can't be transferred in any way. I think that legal part of this contest does not endanger authors in any way. Should you find your work used outside of context stated, consider your case won automatically.

Please search for "Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)." There are other countries on the sanctions list than the ones excluded here, but it's probably an issue of not being able to send the winner the prize money if they live in one of those countries due to federal law.

I'd say it's preferable to know you're not elgible up front than to win and get the "Thanks for the great photo, but sorry we're not allowed to give you the prize because of where you live." email.

That would REALLY stoke the "this is just a grab for free images for commercial use" conspiracy.

I believe DP follows the laws of the country where it operates, in this case USA, which indeed its laws on contest excludes Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Burma, the Province of Quebec in Canada, and some States of the United States (for some of these States have their own laws regarding gaming). So check it out before you enter. Even the so mighty and so 'international' National Geographic applies this law for its Photography Contest. Photography is international, not so much humans or countries for that matter.

If DP would have been operating in another country, less say UK, this limiting laws wouldn't apply and the contest could have had more chances of been 'International'

Anyways, look not too far, DP allows discriminatory rules within its challenges, allowing hosts to fence out participants and so only winners in previous DP challenges are allow to participate. Discrimination is the result of a philosophy of thinking born from nations with oppressive and repressive regimes.

I bet that the exclusion of these countries is not a DPR decision, but one made by Amazon (USA)...one would hope that photography and art knows no boundaries but sadly we have not reached that point yet...

I believe DP follows the laws of the country where it operates, in this case USA, which indeed its laws on contest excludes Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Burma, the Province of Quebec in Canada, and some States of the United States (for some of these States have their own laws regarding gaming). So check it out before you enter. Even the so mighty and so 'international' National Geographic applies this law for its Photography Contest. Photography is international, not so much humans or countries for that matter.

Anyways, look not too far, DP allows discriminatory rules within its challenges, allowing hosts to fence out participants and so only winners in previous DP challenges are allow to participate. Discrimination is the result of a philosophy of thinking.

Thanks, DP review. If people don't like the terms of the competition they can exercise their democratic right not to participate. I believe it is just a photo competition with a prize and fun with opportunity to be creative. Anything else is over thinking the situation. Have fun and chill

Reading these comments, I wonder if dpreview is being too soft. I would delete and ban like half the people with unrelated and/or degrading comments. They are giving away money for a photography contest. Expert panel and not some rigged facebook poll. What could be better for a talented enthusiast who knows what he's doing? Thank you dpreview!

it is not a competition for photos specifically to be used for commercial marketing purposes, they will only be used to promote the competition itself, on our site. The rules come from the lawyers at our parent company and are to protect us and make sure we are free to actually run the contest without being sued by those that enter or who are featured in the photos. We're photographers, we are not rights-grabbers. We just want to give someone $5000.

"By submitting an Entry, each entrant grants to Sponsor a royalty- free, sublicenseable right to use, reproduce, transmit, modify (as to size, format and color correction, only), and display the Photo on Sponsor’s Web site(s) or Sponsor’s pages on social media web sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, for marketing and promotional purposes in connection with Sponsor and/or the Contest".

This is in no way an attempt to gather photos to use for commercial purposes, we're reserving the right to use your images in connection with promotion of the competition, and related content. This is a standard condition in small-print for competitions like this.

I'm from egypt , and I from today I will rethink all the competitions I will enter , because if photography is such a race base job, then there is no use for it, because pictures are media , where is the freedom ? What are those countries going to show the world that make you so scared from them to talk ?? None of the Syrians ever thought of harming an Egyptian , but because they are supporting their government this competition is scared of getting punished if the truth came out, and the business of war got interrupted by the human rights of the same country..I thought you as a professional photography website will have the guts to show the world as it is, turn out you're a media device covering under "legal" and "right" .. Well , thanks for this competition , my eyes are more open and if there is some one from those countries want to use my name to submit something I will support him , because I want to know how they live their life as they describe it not as DPreview can or can't legally show them !!

This is probably because Burma (and North Korea, Cuba, etc on that list) have a lot of restrictions on transferring money into the country from US. I'm sure dpreview would rather not bother trying to send $5000 to the winner if it happens to be in those countries.

"So US foreign policies decide who can participate in a dpreview contest."Of course! But it's not "just" foreign policy, it's the law. Just like the laws in whatever country you are in apply to you as well. Until Amazon or DPR makes the laws, any blame needs to be directed elsewhere, to the policymakers.

Transferring funds (of this amount) to the mentioned countries is illegal. Now it can be argued whether it should be legal or not, but I don't think this is the place to discuss that.

Yes, it's the law. The law of the United States of America. Many years ago, when dpreview was based in the UK, it was a website with a distinct international profile. Now, it's distinctly American. While that may make sense from a financial point of view, it makes me wonder what interests dpreview serves; those of its readers or those of its shareholders.

My diminishing interest in dpr and what it stands for has just reached a new low.

Maybe there's a reason for that. Most civilised people don't like discrimination of groups who are not guilty of any wrongdoings and who cannot defend themselves against the discrimination. The fact that it's a law in the USA doesn't make it less discriminating.

Good God, man, get a grip on reality. This is not your right to vote. This is a private corporate event conducted by a foreign company according to the laws of their country. Get some sense of proportion.

I believe DP follows the laws of the country where it operates, in this case USA, which indeed its laws on contest excludes Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Burma, the Province of Quebec in Canada, and some States of the United States (for some of these States have their own laws regarding gaming). So check it out before you enter. Even the so mighty and so 'international' National Geographic applies this law for its Photography Contest. Photography is international, not so much humans or countries for that matter.

Anyways, look not too far, DP allows discriminatory rules within its challenges, allowing hosts to fence out participants and so only winners in previous DP challenges are allow to participate in its challenges. Discrimination is the result of a philosophy of thinking and state of mind.

This contest is not going to get many entries because of the onerous rules regarding getting permission from identifiable persons in the photo."May I 'connect' with you? Yes? Well, first sign this release. It's for a contest. The prize? The grand prize is $5000. What? You want a cut if I win? Well, I guess I needn't 'connect' with you. Next?"Yeah, this contest wil get lots of entries.

Well, that's just part of the challenge. I think the easy solution is, don't use people. I think the "never been shared in a media channel" is a bit harder for me as I share the photos I like most. But that gives me an excuse to get out and try and build something new.

Of course if all of the talented folks here don't want to enter and we just have to settle for my "OK" shot as the winner I'll have to deal with that. :).

most "professional" level photo constests/submissions I've seen require signed release of all "models" in the shot. This is not a "win the new Olympus XZ-2" contest by a fan/review site.

it's part of the gig, especially since the "winning" photos will be used for marketing the contest/prize/site, they can't have a random person come up and say "wait, I never gave permission for someone to take a candid shot of me and put it in a contest"

This is where cats are the answer, or heck send a photo of two dogs sniffing each others butt, they are connecting technicly XD HEHEHE! Also 500$ my way please if you do :p I need the money I don't have a penny to my name hehehe.

I have a couple of bystanders in the photo who fit in nicely because they have a surprise reaction. I did not get their consent -- they were part of a group of people and i did not even see them when I was taking pics in quick sequence.

Well, according to the rules I have to get their consent but they are long gone.

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